Arch Appeal

How do I make sure my eyebrows flatter my face?

Well-groomed brows like Camilla Belle's arches can single-handedly—yet oh so subtly—perk up your face. But before you pick up the tweezers, let's go over a few ground rules: To avoid an over-plucked "tadpole" look, never force your brows into something totally unnatural. Giving yourself a fake arch will be painfully obvious, so don't tweeze haphazardly or pencil in color where it doesn't exist. Instead, take note of where the colored portion of your eye ends: Brow arches should never start before the outer edge of the iris or you'll wind up with a hook brow. Aim for a triangle shape, with the top of the triangle stretched longer, away from the nose. And to protect against over-tweezing, shape from underneath—you can easily clean up stray hair above the brow, but if you tweeze the top, it's more likely that you'll lose your natural arch.

In terms of how thick or thin you should go, face shape and eye shape can play a part. For example, if you have a round, square, or very full face, try for slightly arched, elongated brows that aren't too skinny—that way they won't get lost. Lastly, large or almond-shaped peepers can get away with bold brows, but if you have smaller eyes, stick with a more slender shape so your arches don't upstage them. If tweezing gets the better of you, however, remember that patience is a virtue—allow a couple of weeks for anemic brows to grow, then visit a professional to get back on track.